Flathead Lake Life: Lakeside, Somers, and Bigfork, Compared

Most people who call me about Flathead Lake say some version of the same thing: "We want to be on the lake." Then I ask one question that usually changes the search entirely. Which lake? Not a trick. Flathead Lake is nearly 200 square miles of water, and the communities ringing its northern half sha

The Step-Up Basis: What Selling an Inherited Montana Home Really Costs

The Step-Up Basis: What Selling an Inherited Montana Home Really Costs Here's the question I hear most often from heirs, usually asked quietly, sometimes with a little dread behind it: "If we sell Mom's house, how much are we going to lose to taxes?" And here's what almost nobody has explained to th

Well and Septic in the Flathead Valley: The Due Diligence Most Buyers Skip

Well and Septic in the Flathead Valley: The Due Diligence Most Buyers Skip Here's a question most buyers never think to ask until it's too late: if the home you're about to buy sits outside city limits, do you actually know where your water comes from — and where it goes when you're done with it? In

Divorcing With Kids in the Flathead: Timing the House Around the School Year

Divorcing With Kids in the Flathead: Timing the House Around the School Year School starts in the Flathead Valley in about a week. If you're a divorcing parent, you already know that — because the school calendar has quietly become one more thing attached to the house question. Here's what most peop